A touch of optimism as I make progress

 Things are progressing with my recovery. Today I had the last of my anticoagulant injections; they came in a large box of ready-filled syringes and Ann has been giving them religiously each evening. Yesterday I attended the local Clare surgery to have the purse drawstring stitch removed. The surgery has become a surreal experience. We have to give our names at the door and no one is allowed in without an appointment. A large notice above reception proclaims: "Due to Covid, the receptionists cannot offer advice or take appointments directly. Patients can only communicate with them by phone, and then only after a long process of filling out online questionnaires. The surgery was deserted. There were only four seats spread in each corner of the old waiting room, but no one was waiting. No one came out from the nurse before me and no one was waiting when I left. Normally, there were two or even three doctors working and a nurse and health visitor and three or four receptionists. Now even the phone didn't ring during my brief time, and on the way out the two doctors' doors were open, the surgeries deserted. But for the solitary receptionist and nurse, I saw no one.

This week too, the melanoma nurse at Addenbrookes finally phoned. She told me the team had held a meeting to discuss my case. They have requested a repeat whole-body CAT scan to confirm there are no more obvious metastases, and the oncologist will arrange a meeting after that to discuss possible immunotherapy. As Ann says, this is very positive. I will finally be able to ask them about my prognosis, and find out what I face with further treatment. The scan and immunotherapy are both expensive procedures, and they would not offer them if they thought there would be no benefit, so this all suggests that hope lies ahead.

Today our friends Rae and Malcolm came round to take us out to lunch. While I am unable to drive (I'm half way through my ban - another two weeks to go before I can even try my new car), Ann is having to drive us everywhere so she is usually unable to drink when we go out, so this was a rare chance for her to share a bottle of wine with Rae. We went to The Plough where I enjoyed a delicious mushroom and stilton burger, followed by a crumble and custard. I'm definitely getting my appetite back, so that's another good sign.